At Least Zafrul Isn’t Azmin Says Chin Tong

Tengku Zafrul Aziz’s reappointment as finance minister may not be ideal, but at least it wasn’t Azmin Ali taking the post, says DAP’s Liew Chin Tong.

“I feel if Azmin Ali had been appointed finance minister, it could have been a catastrophe,” said the former deputy defence minister on Bandar Utama assemblyman Jamaliah Jamaluddin’s virtual talk show “Spill The Tea, JJ”.

Liew also said it was good that an Umno leader did not take over the finance portfolio, since the prime minister was already from the same party.

Describing the Cabinet line-up as “Muhyiddin Yassin’s Cabinet without Muhyiddin”, he hoped Ismail Sabri Yaakob’s new government would be able to overcome the current political, health and economic crises.

More Aid For B40 & M40

He said the finance ministry and the government must come up with a package or game plan to navigate the impact of the pandemic, with at least more aid for B40 and M40 households to stimulate the economy.

“Many have taken their lives and many more have lost their jobs. There are people without enough food, children are not going to school and so on. We need an effective government that can protect the people’s livelihoods.”

Good To Appoint KJ

Liew also said one good thing for the country was that Khairy Jamaluddin had been appointed health minister.

“If Muhyiddin had switched the health minister earlier in January or February, if Khairy was vaccine and health minister, I feel the Covid-19 situation would have been more under control.”

He hoped that Khairy’s new role was an opportunity for the government to successfully manage the pandemic.

Citing Ismail’s speech earlier today, he said it was important for the country to be prepared to accept and coexist with Covid-19 as it would eventually become endemic.

In terms of politics, Liew said both sides of the divide needed to compromise as per the Yang di-Pertuan Agong’s decree for everyone to work together.

He added that the opposition should have space in Parliament to carry on as a check and balance on the government.

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